


The love in their eyes. (OR "Life is hard. It is even harder if you are stupid. Do not be stupid.")

by MyFandomCausesHanaji



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Al's POV, Attempt at Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Romance, more tags would spoil the whole thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 03:51:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18683566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyFandomCausesHanaji/pseuds/MyFandomCausesHanaji
Summary: “I need to talk to you alone, it is urgent!” Ed answered, fidgeting in his seat impatiently. “And I couldn’t while Roy is around, so we have, like, twenty minutes, Al!”





	The love in their eyes. (OR "Life is hard. It is even harder if you are stupid. Do not be stupid.")

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UP2L8](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UP2L8/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Two Of Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/257248) by [PandoraCulpa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandoraCulpa/pseuds/PandoraCulpa). 



> First I thought about this idea when I was thinking about the amazing fic "Two Of Us" that I read a looong time ago and still in love with it, and why the hell wasn't it in my bookmarks? there, fixed
> 
> So I thought this idea could fit so well in a long nice fic, but ya'll know how good I am in abandoning long nice fics, so I thought if I write it from a 3d person perspective, rather than Ed's or Roy's, I could just skip all the fuss and go straight to the punchline making it a short nice oneshot.
> 
> The second ridiculous title is taken from a catch phrase of some rock radio I was listening back in the days, sorry xD
> 
> So here it is. I hope you'll like it :)  
> Unbetaed and written on a phone, so buckle up xD

Al stepped out of a cab, thanked the driver and walked toward the General Mustang’s townhouse. He heard the sound of ongoing argument even before he reached the door and he sighed internally — his brother couldn’t abandon his habit of screaming his way through every of his conversations with Mustang even after they started living together. 

Well, technically Edward still lived with Al in their rented apartment on the other side of the city, but he had been spending nearly all of his free time after work in the General’s house, often staying a night, that in fact he might have as well moved here already with all his stuff, so Al could finally get a few more cats to occupy the freed space.  

Perhaps Al should raise the topic. It’d been a year and Ed hadn’t even once mentioned the change in his and Mustang relationship. Whatever the reason for that was, he seemed happy enough and Al chose to respect his privacy. Ed had spent too much time focused on Al’s wellbeing, that now, when he finally had something for himself, Al was happy to give him as much space as Ed needed. 

Al walked to the front door and pressed the doorbell button. The argument didn’t cease, instead Ed’s voice only got louder as he walked to the door.

The door opened to the Ed whose neck was bend in a near impossible angle and who was screaming in the general direction of the kitchen,

“Don’t you dare say bad things about my chicken, it is heavenly, and it is your turn to do the dishes!”

Roy’s muffled answer sounded from the kitchen, and Ed got red in the face.

“I did it yesterday, you bastard! And I threw away the trash while you were napping on the couch!” he screamed and Alphonse contemplated between chuckling, clearing his voice to get Ed’s attention, or just silently rolling his eyes so he could enjoy the ridiculous exchange longer. 

He settled on the second, because it was quite chilly outside and there would no doubt be plenty occasions to observe his brother’s childish behavior later today.

“Nice to see you too, brother,” he said with in a flat voice, finally making Ed turn to him.

“Oh, hey, Al,” Ed said as if he only just now even noticed that someone had come visiting. “Sorry, the bastard is being his usual bastardly self.”

Roy commented something incomprehensive and Ed hissed and turned to the kitchen again, letting go of the door.

“Fuck you, Roy!” he screamed, while Al walked inside, closing the door behind him. “He is being mean to my chicken, Al!” He added turning his attention back to Al. “Can you believe this? What a jerk!”

Al slid out of his boots and put his coat on the hanger.

“I am sure he will change his mind once he tries it, brother,” he said. 

Ed was not much of a cook, but he knew how to bake a chicken that could make any professional cook cry in shame. However, those who were familiar with Ed’s general clumsiness in a kitchen, never believed that he could cook something eatable, therefore each time the topic rose in conversations, Ed was jumping on the opportunity to make a bet and rub his victory in the face of his unfortunate opponent. This time it was Roy’s turn, and Al could only wonder how  _ Elric’s heavenly chicken, _ as Ed liked calling it, hadn’t come up in a conversation with the General before.

Guess, they had other things to occupy their time, Al thought. Not that he wanted to dwell on such visionary. 

Today was the chicken day, and Al was called to be a witness of  _ Roy’s shameful loss _ . Al didn’t really see the point of him being present, but he would be a fool to decline an opportunity to enjoy the only thing his brother could cook without either reducing the whole kitchen to cinders or giving himself and others food poisoning.

What could he say, Al was a weak, weak man. A very hungry weak man who would’ve built a temple for food if it wasn’t too weird. Having an ability to taste things was truly the best thing human bodies had.

He walked after his brother to the kitchen, where Roy was cutting something at the kitchen counter. He was wearing an apron. It gave him a homie look, so far from his usual persona he was presenting to the world. 

“Nice to see you, Alphonse,” he said, turning to look above his shoulder. “Please, take a seat, dinner is almost ready,” he added with a smile.

“ _ My  _ part of the dinner is almost ready, you wanted to say,” Ed said grumpily, sitting down in one of the chairs around the kitchen table. “We don’t have enough ingredients for  _ your  _ part of the dinner, and we don’t have any bread either and if you say one more time that it is somehow my fault, I’m gonna smack you across your stupid head.”

Roy sighed, putting away the knife and wiping his hands on a towel.

“Charming as ever, Edward,” he said but there was a smile on his face when he turned to look at Ed, and Al was once again reminded how nice it felt to see someone looking at his brother with such warmth in their eyes. Ed should really know better than to be as bratty as he often was, and appreciate how lucky he was more. 

Yes, this conversation was really due, Al thought.

“If you go now, you can come back with the groceries by the time the chicken is ready,” Ed went on, folding his arms across his chest. “And don’t forget to buy that garlic sauce like last time.”

“So pushy,” Roy answered with a chuckle before turning to Al. “I apologise, Alphonse, I haven’t really thought things through, surely I should’ve anticipated that your brother might sneak in to the fridge and―”

“Hey! What did I tell you?!”

“I mean, I should’ve checked the ingredients earlier today, so silly of me.” There was a laughter in his eyes but he still managed to keep his face and voice serious enough in order to not wind Ed up more. “It will not take long, I’ll be back soon,” he added, taking off his apron and walking out of the kitchen.

“And take out the trash!” Ed screamed to him, leaning back in his chair.

“Yes, dear,” was a distant answer and Al could swear he heard laughter in it. 

Ed blushed, the door closed, the front legs of Ed’s chair hit the floor and Ed gestured for Al to sit beside him.

“I didn’t eat all those bread,” he said. “And you know, I’m not a fan of vegetables.”

“Alright,” Al said, not sure why his brother was telling him this.

“I hid it instead where Roy wouldn’t see!” Ed declared proudly and Al fought the urge to reach to his forehead to check for the fever. 

“Did you?” he said carefully, wondering what had gotten into his brother. “And why did you do that?”

“I need to talk to you alone, it is urgent!” Ed answered, fidgeting in his seat impatiently. “And I couldn’t while Roy is around, so we have, like, twenty minutes, Al!”

Ed managed to look worried and excited at the same time and Al’s mind filled with at least a couple of possible reasons that could’ve caused such an agitation in his brother.

He smiled and put his hand on Ed’s shoulder, grounding him a bit.

“Of course, brother, I’m all ears,” he said with a smile.

Ed took a deep breath, let it out and said,

“Roy kissed me yesterday.”

He was looking at Al with anticipation in his eyes, and his fingers were nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. Al let go of Ed’s shoulder, tilted his head to indicate his attention and raised his brows slightly, encouraging Ed to go on ― after all it was the first time Ed had ever mentioned his and Roy’s relationship.

Nothing followed, and Ed’s expression shifted first to one of uncertainty and then to irritation. 

“What the hell, Al, are you going to say something or just stare at me?”

Al blinked and smiled hesitantly.

“I’m sorry, brother, I was just waiting for you to continue.”

“What more do you want me to say, isn’t this enough already?” Ed folded his arms across his chest protectively, looking at Al with borderline betrayal in his eyes. 

Al blinked again and straightened up. He felt confused, but it was nothing new when it came to talking with his brother. He just gotta be patient and he would figure it out.

“Alright,” he started with a soft smile that he hoped was calming enough. Surely it wouldn’t be the first time when he had to talk to his brother like he was a bomb ready to explode. Ed was short fused, they all knew it. “So you two kissed yesterday.”

“Yes.”

Al’s mind blanked out for a moment when he realised he didn’t exactly thought this through because he couldn’t come up with anything else to say other than  _ So what _ , and clearly that was not what Ed was expecting from him.

Al opened his mouth, closed it again and smiled wider.

“Well, that’s great,” he said finally, settling on something neutral enough.

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.”

Silence stretched. Ed was still looking at Al clearly expecting more, and Al was looking at Ed calling to their brotherly bond to let him just this once get into his brother’s head and see what it is he was actually thinking at the moment.

Brotherly bond was failing him, silence was stretching more, getting to the point where it would get awkward, brotherly bond be damned, and Al could even swear he heard crickets chirping mockingly. 

“That’s it?” Ed finally asked.

“What else do you want me to say, brother? With all honesty, I am not even sure why you all of the sudden decided to share with me the details of your relationship with Roy.”

“Because we fucking kissed, Al, don’t you get it?!” Ed almost screamed, unfolding his arms and throwing them in the air in frustration.

“I clearly don’t, brother, perhaps if you expla―”

“Ugh!” Ed growled and stood up, starting to pace the limited space of the kitchen impatiently.  

Al watched him for a few moments before he started to get dizzy. He looked around, chose the view of the baking chicken through the glass of the oven pleasant enough, and settled on staring at it.

“And here I thought you were about to tell me Roy proposed you,” he voiced one of the thoughts that had crossed his mind when Ed had started this conversation.

“Gay marriages are not legalized in Amestris, Al,” Ed mumbled angrily under his breath.

“Yes, but it’s the thought that counts.”

“I am pretty sure it is not how it works.” Al heard Ed stop suddenly. “Why on  _ Earth _ would you think that, Al?!”

“Well, I don’t know,” Al shrugged. The chicken was leaking juice on the oven floor and Al heard his own stomach growl. “Roy might consider this a romantic gesture.” God, he was hungry. The General better be back soon so they could finally eat.

“Rom― He just kissed me  _ yesterday _ , Al, what the hell,” Ed screeched, making Al wince and breaking his chicken induced trance.

A sudden ― bizarre, absolutely inconceivable ― thought rose in Al’s mind and he very slowly turned to look at his brother who was leaning with his hip at the kitchen counter.

“Wait, Ed,” Al said quietly and the view of his pissed off brother who was pouting now with the look of taken offence on his face made that crazy thought settle a bit firmer in his mind. “Wait a second, Ed,” he said again, because he needed some time to fully comprehend the horrible ―  _ hilarious  _ ― realisation without having it threaten to give him an aneurysm if it actually turned out to be true.

“What exactly I’m waiting for here, Al?” Ed asked in annoyance, and Al felt the first hysterical chuckle fight its way up his throat. He swallowed it back and took a slow calming breath.

“Are you saying…”  _ Oh, please, let this not be true.  _ “Brother, are you saying, this kiss…”  _ It can’t be it, right?  _ “This was the first time you two kissed?” 

“Duh, Al, what is wrong with you?!” 

_ Oh, lord. _

Al covered his face with his palm and blinked away a few tears from his eyes. 

“So, ugh,” he coughed and raised his head, trying to keep his smile in check. “Wow.” He coughed again. “Who would’ve thought, huh.” That was quite honest, at least. “So, just to clarify, brother,” Al sniffed, rubbed at his eyes and took in a breath he knew he would need after he heard Ed’s answer. “You two haven’t been dating or something until now, then?”

“No, Al, did you hit your head?!” Ed screamed. “You are not being super bright today, are you, Al?”

That did it. Al choked on the first burst of laughter and had just enough time to raise his finger, before his dropped his head on the table clutched at his stomach and started laughing. The tears were running down his cheeks and he couldn’t  _ wait _ to tell Winry and others about this. Oh, the look on their faces! That would be spectacular!

His hysteria was interrupted by pieces of vegetables ― those, that Ed apparently didn’t have a chance to hide from Roy ― were vengefully thrown at his head, that he had to raise along with his arms to protect himself from assault. 

“Wait, brother, wait, I’m sorry!” Al screamed and when the attack had stopped he finally looked up at his brother. Ed was  _ seething _ . He also was clearly hurt by Al’s reaction, but Al couldn’t bring himself to feel too guilty about it, because, truly, it was hilarious. Plus, it was not just Ed Al was laughing at. Well, it was  _ mostly _ Ed, of course, but not only him.

“Fuck you, Al!” Ed said in a hoarse voice sitting down in a chair and dropping his head on his folded arms.

Al cleared his throat and wiped the remains of tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

“So you are telling me, brother,” he said, “that not only you two are not together, but you also are not aware of the fact that pretty much everyone who knows you both are pretty sure that you are?”

Ed raised his head at this and squinted at Al in confusion.

“We are what?”

“Dating, brother! As a couple! For at least a year!”

“What?!” The high pitched screech made Al wince and he rubbed his ears. “Why would anyone think that?!”

Why, indeed…

“Brother, you are spending all your free time,  _ and _ some nights, here, what else we were supposed to think? And your bickering over domestic stuff sounds like you’ve already been married for a few years.”

“Oh my god!” Ed screamed and hid his face in his hands.

“I honestly can’t believe that it is not the case,” Al admitted. “Wow, brother.”

“We are just friends!” Ed objected into his palms. 

“Of course!”

“And I stay the nights because we talk till it’s late, I told you that!”

“Sure.”

“I sleep in the guest room!”

“I have no doubt.”

“We are roommates at most, how could someone― how could  _ you _ think we are dating, Al?!” Ed raised his head and slammed his fist at the table. 

“You are an idiot, brother,” Al said with a sigh. 

“It is  _ you _ who saw something that is not even there, who is the idiot here now?!”

“Clearly you, because you  _ don’t see _ , what clearly  _ is  _ there, brother.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Ed cried, standing up from his chair, but then they heard the front door open and Roy’s too cheerful for their current situation voice,  

“Honey, I’m back!”

Ed hissed in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. “I’m going to kill him. And then myself.”

“How romantic.”

“Shut up, Al.”

Roy entered the kitchen, put a bag with the groceries on the counter and only then looked up at Ed. 

“Wow, Ed, did you inhale that hot pepper I bought the other day?” He asked in amusement and Al really couldn’t blame him — Ed’s face was as red as a tomato. 

“Did you know…” he started, and Al didn’t cover his eyes with his hand, as he very much wanted to at the moment, only because he wanted to see Roy’s reaction even more.  _ “... _ that apparently everyone think we are dating?”  Ed finished, and Roy froze. It was no longer than a moment, but from where Al was seating he had a good view on the General’s face and didn’t miss how it twitched in a mix of emotions Al wasn’t fast enough to place, and then settled in one of his usual masks, eyes guarded and a small polite smile playing on his lips. It was as fake as it was possible to arrange a human face.

“Oh,” Roy said, and this was miscalculation, because if anything, Roy was known for his ability to produce more than one syllable in any possible awkward situation.

Ed’s eyes widened, he took a step toward Roy and grabbed him by a shoulder, turning him to look in his face.

“You knew?!” 

Roy did not a very good job trying to avoid Ed’s gaze and shrugged Ed’s hand off. 

“Gracia might have mentioned that a couple of times, yes.”

Oh oh.

“A couple of times?! Why didn’t you tell her that we are just friends?”

Roy was a good actor, nothing changed neither in his expression nor his posture, and the seeming sudden paleness of his cheeks could’ve been explained by the way the light from the window was falling on his face.

Al really wanted to leave, but the only escape rout was blocked by the two idiots. 

“I will make sure to let her know next time I see her,” Roy said, his voice so perfectly stripped of all emotions, it might have belonged to a dead person, if dead people could actually talk.

Al bit his cheek and frowned. 

“No next times! I’m calling her now!” Ed declared storming off from the kitchen.

“Well, that won’t be awkward at all,” Al mumbled under his breath. He could’ve left now, as the way was finally open, but then Roy sat down in the nearest chair, sighed and stared blankly before him, and Al knew this was not over yet.

“I am sorry, Roy,” he said quietly. “With all his intelligence my brother can be surprisingly stupid when it comes to the mundane things.”

Roy blinked, pulling himself from his stupor, and looked at Al with a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“It is fine, Alphonse.”

“He doesn’t mean it, you know.”

“What?”

“This  _ we are just friends _ thing,” Al explained. “After all, we all thought you are together for a reason.”

Roy just shrugged and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. “He spends most of his free time here, it is no wonder.”

“It is not because of where he spends his time, Roy. It is because how you two look at each other, how you act around each other.” Al hesitated and then added quietly, “It is not just you.”

Roy opened his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. 

“Am I that obvious now.” It sounded nowhere near as a question, so Al just smiled and didn’t say anything. 

Ed silently walked in the kitchen and dropped himself in a chair across from Roy. There was a deep crease between his eyebrows and he was absentmindedly playing with the tip of his long ponytail. Whatever Mrs. Hughes had told him it was enough to at least sooth down his initial emotional outburst. 

Sitting beside two people who were both so lost in their inner thoughts was nothing less but highly uncomfortable, and Al decided it was the perfect moment for him to take his leave. 

He gave the chicken in the oven a sad look and stood up. Shame, that the chicken would probably burn now while the two idiots would be resolving their ridiculous situation…

Al sighed and silently walked out of the kitchen, snitching a loaf of a fresh bread from the top of the bag Roy had brought. At least Al would have something to munch on on his way home. 

~

Al was lazily seeping his coffee the next morning patiently waiting for the caffeine to seep into his system so he could open his eyes to their full potential and go on with his day. 

The front door opened and Ed walked in. He took off his boots and the coat and sat down across from Al. 

Al took another sip and yawned. Ed was staring at the window behind Al’s back, squinting at the morning sun. 

“Hey, Al,” he said.

“What is it, brother?”

Ed chewed on his lip for a moment and then looked at Al and smiled.

“I think, I love him.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> It has one million and one mistakes and overall problems, but hey, _it's the thought that counts_ , right? xD  
> I'll smooth it out later, I promise.  
>  
> 
> Please, drop me a line in the comments to let me know what you think, it will make my day! ^_^
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